Title: Jeroboam II / 2 Kings 14:23-29
Jeroboam II / 2 Kings 14:23-29
powerful and capable king
B.C. In about 930 AD, in northern Israel, which was divided from Judah in the south, there were four coups (Baasha, Zimri, Omri, and Jehu) in the 140 years before the 13th king, Jeroboam II, and the dynasties changed five times. In the meantime, the national power was not a word due to domestic and foreign exchange. The reign of Jeroboam II was the most heyday in Israel's history. The territory has been expanded. 'Jeroboam restored the borders of Israel from the entrance of Hamath to the Sea of Arabah' (2 Kings 14:25, 2 Kings 14:28) According to 2 Chronicles 8:3, Hamath was occupied during the reign of King Solomon. According to 1 Kings 8:65, when Solomon made a great sacrifice after completing the temple, all the congregation of Israel gathered from the mouth of Hamath in the north to the River of Egypt in the south. The northern border of Solomon's empire was the mouth of Hamath. This means that it occupied the largest territory after David and Solomon.
Why did you give me grace
The reason God gave Israel this kind of grace is in verses 26 and 27. Verse 26 says, “For the Lord saw that Israel was in great distress, that no one was bound, no one was released, and no one to help Israel.” Having no bond and no free means that without slaves and free people, everyone had a hard time living under the oppression and abuse of neighboring countries. And in verse 27 it says, 'Because the LORD did not say that the name of Israel would be blotted out from under the world'. It is because it was not God's will to remove Israel from history.
Israel did not understand grace
The conditions of the times in Israel at that time are described in detail in the books of Hosea and Amos (Hosea 1:1 Amos 1:1).
It was very prosperous (Amos 3:14-15; 6:4-6).
Nevertheless, the gap between rich and poor was very large (Amos 4:1, 8:4-6).
It was religiously splendid, but religiously it was a dark period (Amos 4:4-5, 5:21-24).
Because of their wealth, they served idols more actively (Hosea 4:7, 10:1, 13:6).
As a result of forgetting grace
'The grain, the new wine, and the oil have been given to me. The silver and gold they used for Baal, I also added to him, and he does not know” (Hosea 2:8).
'Those who are endowed with honor and do not understand are like beasts that perish' (Psalm 49:20).
'A people who do not understand will perish' (Hosea 4:14).
'The Sovereign LORD has sworn by his holiness, The hour is coming upon you. He will lead you with hooks, and fish for your remnant” (Amos 4:2).
‘Lies on ivory tables, stretches on beds, eats lambs and calves from the flocks, chants vain songs to the lyre, makes musical instruments for himself like David, drank wine from his bowls, and drank precious oil. He is a man who is not grieved because of Joseph's affliction, while applying it to the body. Therefore they will now be taken into captivity before the captives, and the noise of those who stretch out will cease” (Amos 6:4-7).
The reign of Jeroboam II was at his peak politically, economically, and religiously. But during the 41 years of such a movie, Assyria grew rapidly on the northern continent. God was raising Assyria as the rod of Israel's discipline. After the death of Jeroboam II, Israel suddenly began to decline. Zechariah, who succeeded Jeroboam II as king, rebelled after six months and was put to death (2 Kings 15:8). Shallum, who ascended the throne after killing Zechariah, was slain by Menahem a month later (2 Kings 15:13). Ten years after the death of Jeroboam II, Assyria attacked Israel with a strong military force. Menahem extorted all the silver and gold in the country and gave him 1,000 talents of silver to overcome the crisis (2 Kings 15:20). After Menahem's death, his son Pekahijah became king. At that time, Assyria again came and took many captives (2 Kings 15:29). Another coup d'etat occurred and Hosea became king (2 Kings 15:30). In the 9th year of Hosea, Israel was attacked by Assyria and was completely destroyed.
'This happened when the children of Israel sinned against the LORD their God, who brought them out of Egypt out of the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and they feared other gods, and the ordinances of the Gentiles, which the LORD drove out from before the children of Israel, and the kings of Israel. ' (2 Kings 17:7-8, 2 Kings 18:12)
God's Assessment of Jeroboam II
Jeroboam II was a king who left a great mark on the nation for 41 years. However, in his relationship with God, he was a king who had nothing to offer. The Bible evaluates it this way. 'He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel sin' (2 Kings 14:24). He has little interest in matters of the rise and fall of the country, military power, economic power, and cultural and social issues. Only how he lived before God and what kind of relationship he had with God were dealt with as important. This is God's standard for evaluating humans.
The time of Jeroboam II was also great religiously. But it had nothing to do with God, and it was 'in your pleasure' (cf. Amos 4:5, Amos 5:21 Hos 8:13). It should not be mistaken for the fact that a large number of people gather and a splendid worship service is held. Whether or not there is communication with God is important.